


Light a fire in my chest

by Missuniverse5000bc



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Anna knows all, Elsa is a tad oblivious, F/F, Fluff, Lesbian Elsa, post frozen 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-04-16 23:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21676228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missuniverse5000bc/pseuds/Missuniverse5000bc
Summary: Elsa and Anna have a sisterly chat and Elsa comes to some realisations about her feelings for Honeymaren...
Relationships: Anna & Elsa (Disney), Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 58
Kudos: 618





	1. Chapter 1

“Soooo any news? You can’t just disappear off to live as a magical spirit lady in a literal enchanted forest and have nothing to say about it!” Anna bumped Elsa’s shoulder playfully. They were having one of their weekly catch-ups which they had been working around Anna’s new Queenly schedule. Elsa had been enjoying sitting back and listening to the ups and downs of Anna’s week along with various tales about Sven, Olaf, and Kristoff, however, Anna had clearly decided that now it was Elsa’s turn to entertain and she was unsure where to start.

“Well, it's nice, calming,” She said and found herself smiling without meaning to, Anna smiled too.

“You seem happier, more care-free” She noticed.

Elsa hummed, _less uptight _is probably what she meant by that though wouldn’t actually admit it. Anna on the other hand seemed to suit her new responsibility equally well without losing her natural joy and enthusiasm. They had very different experiences growing up but Elsa was finally confident that they had found where they needed to be.

“I am” She admitted before adding “Not that I don’t miss you dearly of course” 

“Well, obviously” Anna joked but not without shuffling closer into Elsa’s side so she could rest her head on her shoulder.

They were sitting wrapped in blankets (at Anna’s insistence) on the balcony of their childhood room looking out over the fjord.

“Now go on, tell me about the Northuldra” She prompted again after getting comfortable.

“Yelana is fascinating - she has some incredible tales that even the youngest kids will sit still to listen to. Ryder is still goofy but kind” Elsa paused nonchalantly “And there’s Honeymaren” She smiled fondly.

“Hm?” Anna nodded pushing her to continue

“She’s… Well, we’ve become quite close, at least I think so. She’s been teaching me a lot about the Northuldra and we normally pair together to go gathering or just exploring sometimes. She’s... sweet” Elsa trailed off, cheeks unusually warm. Anna was looking at her curiously and making her feel flustered although she couldn’t for the life of her understand why.

“What?” She muttered slightly more defensively than intended.

Anna placed her hand on hers patiently, “Oh nothing, I just haven’t seen you like this before”

“Like what?” Elsa ran through their conversation in her head again but found nothing that _she _thought was unusual.

Anna shrugged, “You know, ‘sweet on someone’ - pining” 

Elsa raised her eyebrows in surprise but Anna continued dramatically and clasped a hand against her chest “_ In Love” _

There was no chance Elsa would have ever guessed that was what Anna was implying, “How could you possibly get that from one sentence about someone?” She managed to reply, her voice betraying her high pitched in shock.

“Sisterly intuition,” Anna said seriously, “and you were blushing the second you mentioned her name”

“I- Don’t-” Elsa stuttered, it had suddenly become very difficult to string words into a sentence and she was sorely missing the cold she normally relied on now her skin was burning and her mind was reeling. Now that the thought was there it wasn’t leaving and the way she reacted around Honeymaren suddenly made a lot more sense when she considered her feelings as romantic and not just a new friendship.

  
  


“Wait - did I work this out before you?” Anna said softly. She changed the tone of the situation abruptly.

Elsa looked away. “I didn’t think I’d ever feel like this…” She whispered after a moment “And I didn’t mind that, I was still more than happy with who I am now but I guess that’s why it snuck up on me.”

Anna drew her into a hug.

“What do I do now?” Elsa muttered into her shoulder

Anna hugged her tighter “Don’t rush yourself, just let things happen and maybe try to be open with how you feel towards her - even if that's just little things like telling her you missed her or you’re happy to see her” 

Taking a deep breath she let Anna’s very sound advice wash over her, she could do that. _ Stay calm and don’t close off _she repeated to herself, and honestly knowing that her sister was there for her, it was starting to seem more and more manageable. 


	2. Chapter 2

Elsa tucked her legs beneath her carefully where she sat by the fire within the larger group. She could see Honeymaren across the camp with her brother, swatting playfully at him after evidently being teased by him about something or other. She smiled at the display, it was all too easy to admire Honeymaren from afar.

Their relationship had remained unchanged after Elsa’s self-revelation, she had somehow managed to mostly keep it together (about as much as she had managed to before at least). If Elsa was being honest she was pretty sure that she wasn’t blushing any less than she used to it was just that now she took more notice after having realised why. She looked down at her feet to stop her face from heating up at the thought of her feelings and looked up again to find Honeymaren walking purposely towards her and away from a still-laughing Ryder. Maren sighed heavily in exasperation and rolled her eyes at her brother before sitting beside Elsa with her legs spread out in front of her.

“Hello” Elsa smiled softly, amusement in her voice.

Honeymaren smiled widely in response, “Hey”

They held each other's gaze for a few moments before Elsa cleared her throat softly, “Sibling troubles?” She nodded her head towards Ryder in question.

“He’s just winding me up once again, I’m sure you know how it is” Honeymaren laughed “How was Anna?” She added.

Elsa felt the pride in her chest as she replied “Good, she seems to be adapting to the role of Queen very well” Remembering her conversation with Anna once again she decided to mention “though she also found plenty to tease me about”

Honeymaren smirked in response to that and relaxed as they fell back into a comfortable silence, enjoying the peaceful company.

Elsa watched her carefully as Maren’s face became thoughtful and her brow furrowed slightly, she didn’t want to outright ask what was on her mind in case Honeymaren didn’t want to share but she hoped that she would decide to.

“Are you missing Arendelle?” Honeymaren spoke up cautiously after a while, Elsa looked up but Honeymaren’s focus was determinedly on the fire in front of them and not meeting Elsa’s eyes. 

“I miss the people” Elsa answered after a pause, mostly Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven of course, “but not the palace, not really. It was where I felt trapped for so long.” She sighed

“No, this is definitely my home now. I can’t imagine going back”

She felt Honeymaren place her hand softly on top of her own where they were folded on her lap.

“I’m glad you stayed” She whispered.

In a moment of bravery, Elsa shifted her weight and leaned in closer so they were shoulder to shoulder. Maybe it was a small gesture but she wasn’t known to be very physically affectionate. Even with her sister, Anna was normally the one to initiate a hug in most situations. Holding her breath Elsa finally relaxed when Honeymaren also leaned in closer and squeezed the hand she was still holding. They stayed like this uninterrupted for longer than either of them realised until the fire was dying down and most of the tribe had disappeared off into their tents.

Without speaking they both stretched and sat up straighter, Honeymaren stood up and offered her hand silently to help Elsa up. Both reluctant to let go they kept their fingers intertwined as they walked towards their tents.

“Well, good night” 

“-Good night”

They voiced at the same time and came to a stop in front of what was now Elsa’s tent, Maren was looking less sure of herself than usual which was the only explanation Elsa could think of for her sudden ability to be the more open one and take Anna’s advice to say what she had been feeling whilst she’d been away.

“I missed you when I was in Arendelle.” She watched Honeymaren’s face carefully, she looked surprised but thankfully also pleased. Honeymaren gave her hand a final squeeze before letting go.

“I missed you too, sleep well,” She said genuinely, Elsa watched her go before slipping into her tent and getting ready for bed. Her heart was still fluttering faintly.

  
  
  


The following morning Elsa awoke and got ready to see what tasks she could help with, she didn’t have a particular role to fill like some of the others as she was still learning but she was enjoying just taking each day as it came.

Inga and Marja, an older couple who had both been very welcoming to Elsa, spotted her almost immediately and waved her over to where they were weaving baskets. Inga was very talkative about almost anything whilst Marja was much quieter in contrast unless you found the right topic. Elsa sat beside them and Inga began telling her about the things she’d missed whilst she’d been in Arendelle, nothing major just sweet little stories about some of the others whilst Marja placed her half-finished basket from a week ago into her hands and silently began to re-show her how to continue.

From what she’d picked up from Inga last time they’d spoken, the pair had been together a long time and friends even longer. They had a clear bond that was heartwarming to be near and even Elsa had noticed pretty quickly. It was nice to see two people who had clearly both changed since they were younger (from Yelana’s tales at least) but still worked well together even after all this time.

“There’s your Honeymaren now” Inja nodded her head towards the group returning to camp, drawing Elsa out of her head and away from her almost passable weaving.

Elsa turned her head quickly, missing the knowing look that passed between the couple, she didn’t have time to question or possibly dispute the use of _ her _Honeymaren. Marja took her basket out of her hands and put it to one side, prompting Elsa to go over to the others. She thanked the pair first before making her way over to greet Maren.

As she approached Honeymaren reached into the bag she had with her and pulled out a single blue flower, “For you” she said quickly.

Elsa took in gently and smiled even though she knew she was very likely blushing again “What did I do to deserve this?” She joked

Honeymaren just shrugged bashfully “Ah well y’know, just being you”

They both grinned. 

Elsa could feel Inga’s and Marja’s eyes on them but she was too happy to worry about them knowing about her feelings for Maren besides, they were both very observant about this sort of thing. It was unlikely anyone else besides them and Anna had clued onto her crush, she reassured herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where am I going with this? Not sure but I am enjoying writing it so we shall see where it goes...


	3. Chapter 3

Elsa clasped the piece of parchment Gale had delivered in her hands tightly. Anna had cancelled their Friday games night and instead announced that she and Kristoff would be travelling to the Enchanted Forest for a visit that day instead. It had been a few weeks since her sister had figured out that Elsa had feelings for Honeymaren and whilst she didn’t exactly have much to update her on that front it would still be good to talk to her again.

She made her way over to Yelana to let her know Anna and Kristoff would be paying a visit, it would be considerate to give her some notice this time even if she actually had her own tent for them to stay in on this visit.

Yelana was already in conversation with both Ryder and Honeymaren as Elsa approached, she was ready to hang back and let them finish their conversation but it was actually Ryder who spotted her and called her over. Elsa smiled and greeted them all as she walked over, Yelana immediately spotted the note in her hand.

  
“News from Arendelle?” She inquired, Elsa nodded and told her about Anna’s upcoming visit.  
Thankfully, Yelana smiled immediately. “Of course, your sister is always welcome here” She placed her hand on top of Elsa’s reassuringly.  
“Thank you,” Elsa said genuinely, she let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding. It was a relief not to have to separate the two most important factors of her life; being free to live as the Fifth Spirit amongst nature with the Northuldra and her family in Arendelle.  
Maren nudged her shoulder gently “Saving us all from eternal mist kind of demands you get an open invitation to visit” she half-joked. Ryder nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

  
Elsa saw Yelana looking fondly at the pair, it was hard to imagine growing up unable to see the sky. Elsa might have spent most of her childhood within the palace but she spent much of it gazing out the windows at the stars and into the night.  
She was pulled from these thoughts by Yelana’s clear voice, “Now, Ryder I believe we have reindeer to feed hm?” Yelana announced.  
This seemed like news to Ryder but he was quick to agree, it wasn't something he would refuse anyway. “Wha-? Oh yeah, right” He rushed to follow her, conveniently leaving Honeymaren and Elsa behind.

Maren's expression was mildly panicked as she watched them leave but it was gone as soon as she turned and faced her, "I can speak to Inga about preparing space somewhere for your sister and Kristoff to stay if you want?" she asked simply.  
"Oh well, I was just going to give them my tent whilst they're here…" Elsa began, she didn't want to cause too much trouble for the others when they were her guests after all.  
"You could always share with me then…" Honeymaren ventured "I mean only if you want to of course, just since you're giving them your tent"  
Elsa tried not to look too obviously surprised  
"You wouldn't mind?" She said, an embarrassing mix of eager and nervous.  
"Of course not" Maren smiled, more confidently than before.  
Elsa smiled too, "Well then, yes please"  
After coming to that agreement they both tried not to grin too obviously as they changed topics and headed over to help the group preparing the evening's meal.

“Elsa!”  
Anna ran forward and hugged her tightly as soon as she spotted her across the forest clearing a few days later. Elsa could feel her almost lifting her feet off of the ground whilst Kristoff hovered awkwardly a few steps behind, Elsa smiled over Anna’s shoulder and waved at him too. When Anna let go she and Olaf began a long story about their journey here as she lead them into the Northuldra's camp.

Before Anna (who was very unsubtly scanning the camp) could ask, Elsa spoke.  
"She's with one of the fishing groups right now." she said pointedly.  
Anna giggled "That's okay I'll just meet her later"  
"You have met her" Elsa said flatly, not rising to the bait.  
"Not properly!" Anna exclaimed "I was distracted with the whole 'curse on the forest' thing, and besides it's different now"  
Elsa laughed and shook her head, she did genuinely want to find out what Anna thought about Maren but it would have to wait till later. She wondered if this was how Anna had felt wanting Elsa's approval of Hans all that time ago, Elsa was hoping she had made it clear that she more than approved of Anna's engagement to Kristoff now, given he was genuinely a good match for her and also not evil (which was always a bonus).

After leaving their stuff in Elsa's tent the five of them (including Sven and Olaf) sat together.  
It was only then that Elsa started to suspect there was an extra reason for Anna's visit. Both Anna and Kristoff looked like they were bursting to tell her something and Olaf was suspiciously quiet and avoiding eye contact by staring straight up at the sky.  
"Go on then, what's got you two so excited?" Elsa dared to ask.

They looked at each other first before both announcing "Wedding invites!"  
"We've officially set the date now!" Kristoff added and Anna nodded vigorously. Olaf pulled them both into a hug, sighing about the beauty of young love and something about the passage of time - he was still in his philosophical phase but luckily he hadn't started on his facts about weddings yet.  
Elsa beamed at the happy couple even wider when she was given a handwritten invitation.  
"I'll be there." She promised, holding it tightly.  
Anna squeezed her hand. "You'd better be!"   
"Oh!" Anna exclaimed, "We also wanted to officially invite all the Northuldra, if we can speak to Yelana later?"  
She smiled at her sister's thoughtfulness, it would be good to continue to repair the rift between the Northuldra and Arendelle after what their grandfather did.  
"Of course" Elsa replied, and, she thought, maybe she would get the chance to show Maren around Arendelle.

The sound of multiple voices approached and Elsa turned around - waiting to see if Honeymaren was with them. Maren smiled when she spotted them and waved awkwardly, her arms were full carrying folded nets. Elsa blushed and waved back.  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go over there!" Anna whispered. Loudly.  
Elsa shushed her and quickly stood up, she started to walk over only hoping that Honeymaren couldn't hear Kristoff's "You got this!" and Anna's words of encouragement from behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note to self: updating at 1am whilst feeling ill is not a good idea grammar-wise.  
Anyway, now that i've edited I hope you like this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

"Here," Elsa said quietly, taking some of the nets from Honeymaren so she could readjust the ones that were slipping from her grasp.

"Thanks" She sighed in relief. Maren peered behind Elsa and smirked. "Your sister looks ... enthusiastic?"

Elsa glanced over her shoulder and Anna gave a large thumbs up. Elsa sighed.

"She's like that a lot."

Maren laughed. "Noted. Help me take these to the other side of camp and then you can re-introduce me properly?”

Elsa could only nod and follow wordlessly, watching the sun bounce off Maren’s dark braid as she turned sharply. She focused on trying not to stumble or worse faceplant into the ground whilst her sister was watching.  They put the nets down where they belonged and headed back over to Anna and Kristoff.

_ Introductions, right.  _

Elsa remembered after a short but awkward pause. 

"This is my sister Anna, her fiance Kristoff, his reindeer Sven and everyone's favourite talking snowman Olaf" Elsa gestured in order, slightly over-formal for the situation but old habits and etiquette teachings were hard to break.

"And this is Honeymaren" She carefully avoided any kind of descriptor, they were certainly friends but she didn't want to risk dispelling even the small possibility of being more than that.

“Hi!” Anna waved “Elsa has mentioned you a lot!”

Elsa could only glare at Anna in response, thankfully Maren seemed initially surprised but definitely pleased by this. 

“Well she’s mentioned you a lot too, all of you actually” Honeymaren smiled.

Anna put the back of her hand to her forehead and sighed dramatically. “I’m lucky she hasn’t forgotten me out here in the wilderness”

Elsa heard herself scoff in reflex. “As if I could”

“Somehow I can’t see you letting that happen” Maren added, laughing at Anna’s antics.

“Very true” Anna agreed confidently.

All in all, this was going a lot better than Elsa’s fears had allowed her to imagine, she subtly breathed a sigh of relief.

“We might not be in Arendelle but its still family game night and that means charades!” Anna announced, the group agreed with varying levels of excitement (Olaf, Sven, and Kristoff), apprehension (Elsa) and confusion (Honeymaren, who had never heard of the game before). After Olaf’s rapid explanation of the rules followed by a calmer and more concise version that Elsa gave to Maren they sat down to play around the fire. They quickly scrapped the idea of teams when Ryder and then various other members of the Northuldra kept trying to guess during everyone’s turn once they started to understand the game. Elsa felt somewhat less embarrassed about her acting skills now that she had watched Ryder attempt to mime a blizzard by spinning in circles whilst waving his arms about wildly and then eventually giving up.

The number of players eventually dwindled and Anna was yawning almost between every sentence when Kristoff finally suggested they get some sleep. She fought half-heartedly for one more round of charades but she clearly didn't have the energy left for guessing or acting. They said their goodnights and let Anna and Kristoff take Sven to get settled with some of the other reindeer. Anna hadn't commented on Elsa's sleeping arrangements for the night, she seemed to have already come to the conclusion that Elsa would be sharing with Honeymaren. At least that was one less embarrassing conversation to have, though it was hard to accept that she had become so easy to read.

Without speaking both Elsa and Honeymaren stood and headed to her tent. They normally sat by the fire or went for walks if they wanted privacy for just the two of them to chat so Elsa had never actually been inside Maren's tent before. It was simple, like Elsa's, with furs to sleep on but with quite a few more belongings than Elsa herself had. 

Honeymaren cringed as she picked up a discarded boot.

"Sorry I forgot it was such a mess" She blushed. Elsa waved off her apologies with a laugh. Honeymaren had told her briefly that she had shared with her brother and her mother a lot growing up. She was clearly making the most of her own space now, scraps of parchment and little souvenirs from the forest littered the corners of the tent.

Maren took her hat off and tossed it to one side carelessly, undoing the end of her braid with her other hand. She only stopped running her hands through her hair when she noticed Elsa hadn’t moved and was still staring at her.

“Elsa? Are you alright?”

She had never seen Maren’s hair free of its braid before, it was thick and wavy and honestly stunning even in the low candlelight.

“I- Your hair looks nice like that” She muttered abruptly. 

Honeymaren tucked a strand behind her ear self-consciously “Oh! Thank you” she shuffled her feet and clasped her hands behind her back. “Do you want to get ready for bed yet?”

Elsa almost cursed, she knew she’d forgotten something. “I left my bag I was supposed to bring over here in my tent..” She admitted sheepishly. She didn’t really want to disturb Anna and Kristoff now.

Honeymaren smirked “That’s almost on my level of unorganised” she joked, “luckily for you I have stuff you can wear to sleep in if you don’t mind borrowing.”

“Clearly you’ve been a bad influence on me” Elsa smirked before adding a genuine thank you, she still had manners after all.

Honeymaren laughed loudly, “Yeah well, I'm not done yet” She threw a bundle of clothes Elsa’s way which she only just caught without dropping them. She scowled and Maren stuck her tongue out goofily in response. It was hard to imagine developing such a strong relationship so quickly before Maren, it was partly due to Elsa’s own emotional growth, or  _ transformation  _ as Olaf referred to it, but also due to Honeymaren herself and how easy it was to open up to her. Elsa certainly did not believe in love at first sight but she had definitely felt a connection when they first met.

They turned their backs to get changed, the long-sleeved, baggy top and soft trousers that Maren had given her were not what Elsa normally wore to bed but they were surprisingly comfortable. There was a little awkwardness as they both lay down beside each other underneath the furs and Maren hastily blew out the candles nearby.

Not wanting to have to try and get to sleep just yet Elsa voiced, “Anna wants to invite the Northuldra to her and Kristoff’s wedding”

Honeymaren hummed. "What are weddings normally like in Arendelle?" She spoke softly into the dark rolling onto her side so Elsa could just about make out her features. Elsa looked up at the top of the tent as she lay on her back.

"Busy. Lots of food and dancing and singing" from what she remembered at least, it had been a while since she last attended a wedding.

Maren seemed interested though. “‘Sounds like fun,” She said sleepily and shuffled in slightly closer. They settled back into a comfortable silence as the late hour started to take its toll on the pair.

Elsa sighed softly, maybe she should have asked if Maren wanted to go with her specifically, as a date and not just as a member of the Northuldra, she realised a little too late. She dismissed the thought quickly before she could think about it in too much detail and began to drift asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will hopefully be the wedding or the beginning of it at least!


	5. Chapter 5

Blinking slowly, Elsa blearily opened her eyes. She was warm but just shy of uncomfortably so. She blinked harder when it dawned on her that her face was pressed against warm skin - Maren's neck, she was almost tucked under her chin.

It was warm and comforting with Maren's arm around her but Elsa couldn't risk Honeymaren waking like this. If she decided this was too close or this made Maren realise this wasn't the kind of relationship she wanted with Elsa it might just break her. So, she delicately lifted Maren's left arm from across her side and placed it in the space between them. She slowly untangled herself and sat up intending to get dressed and maybe see what she could do to make herself busy with around camp but Maren stirred first. "'Mornin" she mumbled without opening her eyes, she blindly reached out for Elsa, sucessfully finding her forearm and clasping her fingers around it.

"Good morning" Elsa whispered reverently. 

Honeymaren blinked her eyes open and smiled "I'm so glad I'm not with the fishing group this morning" she sighed. 

The corner of Elsa’s mouth quirked upwards.

"I dont think Yelana will let you get away with staying in bed all day though"

Honeymaren groaned dramatically but sat up and pulled the furs to one side.

“I suppose you’re right. Better make the most of the morning then. -What’s left of it anyway.”

She rolled over rather than getting up off of the floor and grabbed at her layers and coat, Elsa turned her back again to let her get dressed, she was cautious to give Maren more time to get changed than she needed. It was pretty quick to get changed out of the clothes she’d borrowed before replacing her fifth spirit ice outfit with an almost effortless flow of her powers whereas Maren had many layers to fight the chill. Spring had begun but the mornings were still crisp and cold.

Maren cleared her throat when she was done so Elsa could turn around, she hadn’t rebraided her hair yet but her hat was in place. It was pretty quiet outside when they left the goahti and since they weren’t immediately called over to help with anything Honeymaren suggested they escape for a walk. Anna wouldn't be awake for ages, she would almost certainly be enjoying the chance for a lie-in, so Elsa didn’t feel too guilty about agreeing to disappear for a little bit.

They wound up at the river’s edge and followed it as it meandered away from camp, the other side of the embankment was a steep rocky cliff.

“I used to climb somewhere around here” Honeymaren squinted, she had spoken about how she had been relearning the landscape both without the mist but also with the changes made by the dam being broken.

“I think this was it, the river was barely a stream then but this was the rockface I used to climb. Not that I could see anything from the top mind, at first I thought I could reach high enough to see over the mist but when I got older it was just because I enjoyed climbing.”

The rocks were wet and moss-covered at this time of year and Elsa could only hope that a younger Maren never tried climbing in these conditions. She also hoped Maren wasn’t considering climbing now there was the added danger of the fast-flowing river directly below in the event of a fall._ There was potentially a way around that though..._

“Do you want to find out what the view from the top is?”

Honeymaren raised her eyebrows in question. Waving her hand Elsa drew the water from the river into a frozen staircase, across the river and upwards as high as the top of the cliff.

Maren stared in awe and stepped boldly towards the first step. She ran her hand along the banister as she set off up the stairs “Amazing.” was all she said before racing up the steps.

Elsa was quick to follow, surer on her feet when walking across ice although Maren didn’t seem to be having too much trouble. They came to a stop when they stepped onto land and looked out over the forest and far down the fjord.

“Oh Elsa, it's really beautiful”

Elsa smiled as she took in the view “It really is”

They stood close together so that their shoulders were pressed against each other and relaxed.

“Thank you for showing me this” Maren said softly, her gaze still ahead of her.

Elsa’s heart fluttered and she felt a rush of pride at her powers, a welcome feeling.

“It was no trouble”

When the sun started to get higher in the sky and it became obvious they had been there a while they made their way back. Honeymaren linked their arms together as they descended the steps this time though not out of a need to hold on, it was just another moment of closeness that Elsa was unsure whether she was supposed to be reading into or not. She cleared the ice and let the river flow unobstructed once again before they left. 

On their return, the clearing was busier than they had left it with more and more Northuldra out of their goathi and going about their day.

Maren's arm was still looped through hers as she giggled at one of Elsa’s happier childhood stories involving her powers and the games she and Anna used to play. She didn’t spot Anna until she was right beside them.

“There you are! I’ve been awake for ages!” She lied cheerfully

Elsa laughed “Well I'm terribly sorry to keep you waiting, your Majesty” she mock-bowed.

“As you should be” Anna replied haughtily, she failed at keeping a straight face for more than a couple of seconds, however. 

“I can leave you two to catch up, I’m sure Yelana has jobs for me” Maren politely interrupted. 

Anna smiled. “Oh, if you’re sure!” She turned to Elsa pointedly “We do have _ lots _to catch up on”

Elsa rolled her eyes, it was true though, in a way. Maren squeezed her arm before she let go, “Come find me later okay?”

Elsa nodded “I will.”

She watched Honeymaren go as she waved at them both before saying her goodbyes and going to find Yelana.

  
  


Anna was watching her carefully.

“I already spoke to Yelana whilst you were gone, she’s accepted my official invitation by the way”

“I wasn’t gone that long!” Elsa objected “but that’s good news, I can’t wait”

Anna smiled in agreement but that line of conversation didn’t last long. She clearly had more pressing questions after spotting her returning with Honeymaren just now. “How was your _ walk? _” She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

“It was very nice. We walked along the riverside.” Elsa replied cautiously but Anna looked even more suspicious now 

“You have to tell me if you kissed. You can’t just keep things like that a secret from me!” She demanded.

Elsa spluttered and whisper-yelled “Anna no, we didn’t kiss! We just went for a walk - seriously” 

She considered this for a moment,

“Hmmm, well okay. I believe you of course, but the good news is that Honeymaren definitely likes you too. Hundred percent!”

“Do you really think?”

“Yes! She was blushing almost as much as you yesterday evening, and I haven’t seen her act anywhere near as close with anyone but you.”

Elsa thought about that for a minute, she chose not to agree to or dispute that for the time being.

“Did _ you _ like her?” She carefully tried to gauge her sister’s approval.

“Oh Elsa, she’s lovely! I’m so happy for you!” Anna threw her arms around her immediately almost knocking them both over. Elsa could only laugh in relief as she hugged her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I got sidetracked again but next time I will maybe actually make it to the wedding maybe  
Also i've started writing in comic sans and size 18 font and now I can never go back! 
> 
> But anyway, I hope you enjoyed!


	6. Chapter 6

Elsa had arrived at the palace a week early to help with preparations for the wedding, mostly as moral support - she didn’t have a lot of say in planning or decorations (thankfully). In the 6 weeks since their visit and invitations Elsa had received frequent letters from Anna in varying levels of panic and excitement along with returning to their weekly games night in Arendelle. Anna had tried to persuade her to invite Honeymaren to join them but that seemed like too big of a step somehow, at least for the moment.

The Northuldra were sending a party of their people to arrive the night before the wedding, the remaining were staying being to run the camp. It was approaching late spring and so there was plenty still to do in preparation for them to migrate further north this summer. Thankfully Honeymaren and her brother were able to be spared in order to attend the wedding, they would be here by tomorrow evening and Elsa had only been back in Arendelle for two days but she was already anxious to see Maren again. 

“Elsa? You alright?”

Kristoff crossed the grass and approached the raised part of the garden where Elsa was stood, thinking. 

“Just getting some fresh air” She explained.

He nodded in understanding -  _ of course, he did _ \- he had gone from living in the mountains to living in a palace over the past few years, Elsa reminded herself. He took a deep breath as he looked out over the gardens.

Elsa watched her soon to be brother-in-law, “How are you feeling?”

“Nervous” He admitted before quickly clarifying. “Not about actually marrying Anna - obviously. Just all the formalities and people that will be at the wedding.”

And of course, Elsa could sympathise with that. She tried her hand at giving him some advice.

“No one will blame you for focusing on Anna for the most part. Don’t worry too much about anyone else who will be there, the royal advisors can deal with that. Tomorrow isn’t about politics. Not for you two anyway.”

“Thanks” He smiled genuinely, although it became worryingly mischievous very quickly...

“Sooo Honeymaren?”

“No. We’re not having this conversation.” Elsa turned to leave abruptly, Kristoff didn’t follow her but that didn’t stop him from calling out after her either.

“For what it's worth I think you should go for it! What's more romantic than at a wedding?”

Elsa shook her head and kept walking as she tried not to laugh.

She spent the following day with her sister, checking in with the staff and all the organisers. They knew what they were doing, so it was mostly just getting reassurance for Anna’s peace of mind. It was nice to see Anna so happy and clearly excited so she had been following her around the palace all morning without complaint but as it got further into the afternoon she found herself distracted waiting for the arrival of the Northuldra. There had been various messages passed on by Kai on the arrival of different guests but none that really meant anything to Elsa other than giving a formal welcome so far.

If Anna had sensed Elsa’s anticipation, which she most likely had, she had politely refrained from saying anything whenever Elsa’s gaze flickered towards the window or the sound of a conversation from the corridor stole her attention.

"Your Majesty, your Highness." Kai bowed to both of them before he smiled knowingly "Your guests, the Northuldra, have arrived"

"Thank you Kai!" Anna squealed happily and dragged Elsa down the steps in a run. The twelve Northuldra members had been guided into the entrance hall.

Their group was mostly younger members who were curious to see Arendelle, along with Yelana and more surprisingly Inga and Marja who had seemed very excited when Elsa last spoke to the pair of them after the invitation had initially been announced.

Anna was quick to take over at welcoming them and explaining she would show them where they could stay and rest after their journey. Elsa took this distraction to weave her way to Maren who was bringing up the rear of the group.

“Hey” She smiled as soon as she saw Elsa. She looked as if she was about to pull Elsa into a hug but stopped herself and settled on putting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently instead. Elsa felt almost out of practice after being away from Honeymaren for a few days, she was suddenly much more aware of how physically affectionate Maren normally was.

Thankfully, Ryder appeared next to her, interrupting their awkward silence.

“Hi, Elsa! Where's Kristoff?”

“With his family, they got here this morning.” 

Elsa chose not to mention the fact they were trolls - if Ryder didn’t already know it would be much more fun to let him find out in person.

“You can join him and Sven and Olaf, they're having a sort of stag do!” Anna called over.

“Don’t you mean a _ reindeer  _ do? No, wait - a  _ bull _ do?” Ryder joked. Badly.

There was a chorus of groans and Yelana simply shook her head. Honeymaren groaned the loudest, “Ryder I swear if I had my staff with me…” she threatened.

He stuck his tongue out at his sister as Anna called one of the servants over to take him to Kristoff and the trolls. They had been holed up in the other side of the palace and gardens since noon in order to avoid the bride and groom from running into each other the night before the wedding.

The evening got busy after that point, starting with leading the rest of them to the rooms that had been prepared for the Northuldra followed by an evening meal. Anna was constantly coming and going, greeting people and trying to check everyone was comfortable. Elsa finally got her to take a break when the remaining guests including the Northuldra retired to bed.

They were now sat on top of Anna’s bed along with Honeymaren (who had been invited to join them by Anna), feet tucked beneath them in Elsa and Maren’s cases whilst Anna was sprawled across the other end. The wedding dress stood waiting across the room and Elsa could practically feel the waves of excitement rolling off of Anna every time she glanced over at it. It was unlikely she would be getting to sleep any time soon so Elsa was hoping that letting Anna talk their ears off for a bit would use up some of her energy. Her focus was on the reception at the moment, in particular, the orchestra and the dancing that would take place.

“Do you dance Honeymaren?” Anna interrupted herself mid-thought

Maren sat up straighter, “Not the style you’re used to, I’ll probably be hanging around the edges of the dancefloor tomorrow”

“We can teach you!” Anna declared “-Just something simple, one of the slower dances” she reassured after seeing Honeymaren’s look of concern that she failed to hide.

Maren still looked as nervous as Elsa felt - she was certain that she was about to be dragged into this lesson too despite Anna being the much better dancer out of the pair of them.

Anna stood, reached a hand out, and pulled Maren up. She began talking her through the steps and where to put her feet with no room for objection. It was unclear whether she was deliberately teaching Maren the leading part or if Anna was just used to following so had taken that role on reflex. Elsa watched the two of them stumble through a type of waltz she couldn’t remember the name of, Anna was counting softly and Maren was looking determinedly at her feet. It was nice to see that Honeymaren put the same amount of effort into almost any new task she attempted, her movements were now beginning to become slightly smoother. They came to a rest and Anna let go to turn and face her,

“Elsa?” She raised an eyebrow in question, gesturing that it was her turn apparently.

“You know I don’t dance”

“Just one! Then you can keep Honeymaren company tomorrow” Anna begged, looking to Maren for support.

“For what it's worth, I’d much rather be dancing with you than embarrassing myself in front of some stuffy diplomat,” She said honestly.

Elsa could second that statement, the thought of dancing with Honeymaren was a lot less daunting than having to formally dance with any guests. That was the only explanation she could find for why she stood up and agreed to learn, just the one dance though, she reminded Anna who looked ready to burst with excitement.

“You stand here” Anna manhandled her into place, moving her arms into position before pushing her closer to Honeymaren who awkwardly placed a hand on her waist before clasping their hands together. They both looked down quickly as soon as their eyes met.

“Perfect!” 

Anna clapped her hands together before explaining the steps again quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to look up the fact a male reindeer is called a bull not a stag or a buck just for Ryder's dumb joke...
> 
> Anyway, I hope the time skips didn't feel too rushed but I also didn't want to drag out the parts where not a lot would have happened  
Hope you enjoyed!


	7. Chapter 7

They slowly went through the steps until they had managed an almost-passable waltz provided that no one was paying too much attention to their feet. Honeymaren had stopped looking down at her own feet and Elsa could feel her gaze on her but she could feel the nerves tight in her chest stopping her from looking up instead of at the floor.

When they came to a natural stop Elsa finally risked making eye contact. Maren smiled for a moment before coming out of hold and bowing dramatically. This drew an unexpected laugh from Elsa which from the look on Anna’s face could probably be accused of being more of a giggle.

“I should let you both get some sleep,” Honeymaren said apologetically as she caught a glimpse of the dark sky when she turned to face the windows.

Elsa felt Anna’s elbow digging into her side, she was trying to mouth something now but Elsa had no idea what.

“I’ll walk you to your room” she volunteered, which seemed like the right choice. Anna clearly approved of that decision whether that had been what she was trying to signal to Elsa or not. 

Honeymaren smiled gratefully and wished Anna good night, Elsa could still feel herself smiling as she walked down the corridor with her shoulder brushing against Maren’s. The excitement had rubbed off on her and she felt practically giddy as they reached the doors to the rooms prepared for the Northuldra. Her sister was about to get married, she was surrounded by new friends and family she never could have imagined and she was free to be outside of the palace whenever she wanted to be.

Elsa stopped Maren with a hand on her arm and pulled her into the hug they missed out on earlier. Honeymaren didn’t hesitate before wrapping her arms around Elsa in response.

“It’s nice seeing you like this” Maren mumbled into her shoulder without letting go.

Elsa hummed happily in reply. It was nice to feel this carefree - weightless even. She felt warm lips press against her cheek, when Maren pulled away her cheeks were red. 

“See you tomorrow?” 

“Yes. Yep. I’ll see you then.” Elsa waved quickly as Honeymaren disappeared behind the door after an equally awkward wave of her own.

If Anna hadn’t already fallen asleep whilst she was gone she would definitely want to hear about this…

Anna had in fact tired herself out and was deep asleep by the time she returned, Elsa was able to tuck her in and move a pillow under her head without waking her sister. She quietly made her way back to her own room and to bed. The next time she saw her sister she was surrounded by ladies’ maids fixing her dress and hair the following morning, it had seemed safer for Elsa to perch on the bed and talk to her sister rather than getting in the way trying to help. She had already fixed her own hair, plaiting the upper section of her hair into a french braid similar to her previous hairstyle but leaving the rest down. With her usual white outfit not an option today she was wearing a pale-green and long-sleeved dress made especially for the wedding. The floral applique at the hems was more summery than Elsa normally wore but a pretty design nonetheless.

Her sister looked radiant (which Elsa had already told her) and so much like their mother (she would wait until the reception to tell her that, Anna was already very emotional). The dress was new - something made uniquely for Anna with loose satin sleeves off the shoulders and thin white and rose embroidery on the bodice. The veil, however, was their mother’s, long and delicate with a lace border and being fastened into Anna’s intricate updo at the moment with pins and white flowers. 

The royal maids stepped back to admire their work. Elsa met Anna’s gaze in the mirror, she smiled confidently.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

As far as royal weddings went it was certainly unusual; the groom stood at the altar beside his best man, who was not a man but a reindeer. The pews were filled with a mixture of Kristoff’s family - the trolls, Arendellians - some noble and some not, representatives from Arendelle’s more formal key allies - which to be fair did include the lost Princess of Corona who was one of the least fazed by any of this and finally the Northuldra who could be spotted dressed in traditional rich blues and reds to mark the celebration.

Olaf scattered flowers on his way down the aisle, taking his role very seriously and making sure to say Hello to everyone he walked past along the way. 

Elsa would be walking Anna down the aisle, it simply made sense that she would be the one to give her sister away. Anna looped their arms together as the organ started playing. 

“I’m proud of you” Elsa whispered hoping that Anna already knew.

Anna beamed, the doors opened and they set off down the aisle. Kristoff had her attention now and he still had the same dopey grin on his face even as they reached the altar. Elsa gave Anna's hands a final squeeze before taking her place beside Olaf, leaving the bride and groom together. 

Elsa's gaze drifted as the introductory speech began, she had heard the rehearsal of this already and heard Anna practicing her vows more times than she could count. She could see Honeymaren in the audience, hair down and dressed in a deep blue tunic-dress, a similar style to what she usually wore but with a decorative shawl and more embellishments than she was used to seeing her in. She hadn’t witnessed a Northuldra wedding but the outfits she knew were worn for many different kinds of celebrations.

There was no doubt that the rich colours suited Maren. Everything about her was beautiful.

Luckily, Elsa wasn't the one responsible for the rings (Sven had that sorted) as she had completely zoned out and before she knew it Anna and Kristoff were saying their I do's.

Outside even more people were waiting to see the newlyweds and the crowd was packed tight. It wasn't until the band started up and people began to spread out around the open plaza to make room for the first dance that Elsa could actually attempt to look for people she knew. 

It seemed like a good plan to stand near the edge of the dancefloor trying to look busy and avoid being asked to dance. She was waiting for the right song so she could go over and ask Honeymaren. Caught up in keeping track of Maren, who was chatting with her brother and someone who was possibly a local, Elsa didn’t notice Bulda rolling over until the troll was right in front of her.

"What are you waiting for? Make a move sweetie!"

Elsa jumped in shock but chose not to question how Bulda knew, she had been told time and time again by Kristoff that the trolls were simply the greatest experts on love there were.

“I can’t dance like that” Elsa admitted. The dance taking place was far too complex and structured, not something that either Elsa or Maren would enjoy dancing to.

“Go to her, I’ll fix that” Bulda gave no time to argue and rolled determinedly towards the band.

As she approached Maren the music shifted into a slower waltz, Ryder nudged his sister when he spotted Elsa walking over before winking and making a quick exit. Elsa opened her mouth to speak but no words came to her. Thankfully Honeymaren had already guessed her intentions and took her hand to lead them into a space.

Elsa made the effort to meet Honeymaren's gaze this time, that way she could ignore the outside eyes she felt were on her. However, when she did glance over Maren’s shoulder she saw they weren’t the only inexperienced pair of dancers. There were plenty of people simply swaying in hold, no longer put off by the learned dances only really witnessed at noble functions.

She could relax into the waltz without that added pressure now and it seemed like Honeymaren could too. They drew in closer so Elsa could rest her head against her shoulder and Maren leaned her head against Elsa’s, they twirled mindlessly giving up on following the correct footwork but honestly, it only made it more perfect that way. 


	8. Chapter 8

They rarely left each other’s sides after their dance, it was much easier to tackle socialising as a pair. They wove their way through the guests, getting caught up in seemingly endless introductions and conversations but Elsa found it wasn’t so overbearing with Honeymaren and also now that she was no longer queen. Maren had a knack for managing to politely escape when conversations were getting dull or too intrusive and finding familiar faces instead. She also knew just how to make Elsa laugh when she got caught up in her own thoughts.

When it got late enough that it was acceptable to slip away from the crowds they found themselves in the same corridor as the evening before only this time they stopped outside Elsa's door. Their giddiness was part excitement and partly a side effect of the wine this time. They both giggled as Elsa leant against the wall, her legs were starting to feel a little jelly-like and so it was mostly an attempt to prop herself up. She had obviously avoided social functions before her coronation and would not have risked alcohol back then since that might have meant she wasn't fully in control so the two glasses of wine she had had earlier were making her more than a little tipsy. Honeymaren was clearly not a big drinker either, her cheeks were flushed and mood giggly. 

She reached out a hand to steady her and Maren leant against the wall too, her forehead against the wood panelling beside Elsa's head. The sides of their heads touched as they leant against one another. Her breath was hot just below Elsa's ear, she shivered involuntarily even though she had never felt warmer. 

It was impossible to say if it was Honeymaren tilting her head up or Elsa who dipped her chin down first but it felt like the most natural decision in the world to lean into a kiss. She took the chance to run her hands through Maren’s long hair and Maren’s hands cupped her cheeks gently. Her bottom lip caught between Maren’s as the kiss deepened and when they pulled apart it was only far enough to keep their foreheads pressed together. Elsa could hear herself breathing embarrassingly heavily. She felt dizzy with joy and warmth and _ love _.

Voices from far along the corridor snapped them out of their trance, other guests returning to their rooms somewhere around the corner. It wasn’t certain that they would walk past, it was most likely they were heading away from them towards the East wing, but rather than take that chance Elsa pulled Maren with her into her room.

Honeymaren flopped down on her bed carelessly whilst Elsa perched next to her considerably more elegantly (although it did take a lot more concentration than usual). Maren slung an arm across her face, covering her eyes she started laughing quietly

“What?” Elsa asked, confused.

Maren shook her head, “Nothing, nothing. I’m just finding it hard to believe that this is real”

Elsa was still somewhat confused. Honeymaren sighed,

“Well y’know you’re the mystical Fifth Spirit and I’m just-” she gestured to herself vaguely.

“Beautiful? Smart? Funny? Emotionally well-adjusted?” Elsa finished for her as she leant back against the headboard, allowing her posture to slouch and tucking her feet up onto her bed.

Maren laughed softly again “Well I guess when you put it like that…” she mumbled. Elsa watched her with a fond smile she could see her eyes were struggling to stay open, she would probably want to head back to her own room to get changed for bed soon but Elsa sensed neither of them felt like moving just yet. There was a pleasant heaviness to her limbs and she allowed herself to close her eyes too, just for a few moments...

There was a dull ache in her head when Elsa next blinked her eyes open, the room was still dark and the bedposts loomed around her. She could hear herself breathing quickly as she lay on her side and squinted at the door across the room, it took longer than usual to remember where she was. 

She reminded herself she would be back in the forest tomorrow,_ it was fine, _she tried to tell her body to calm down but her pulse was still loud in her ears as she sat up and put her head on her knees. She groaned weakly.

Elsa almost fell out of the bed when she felt movement to her left. Honeymaren was lying on her front, face buried beneath a pillow, her arm twitched by her face. _ When had they fallen asleep? _ She thought, mind foggy. Elsa was sure she had planned on walking Maren back to her room after they had talked for a little bit…

She tried to hold still and hold her breath so as not to wake her but Maren lifted her head up slowly.

“Elsa?” She mumbled.

_ I’m fine. _

No sound came out when Elsa tried to speak, just an embarrassing hiccup that always came before tears. She scrunched her face up and tucked it further against her knees, arms wrapped around them. How difficult would it be to leave without making it obvious she was crying? She could feel Honeymaren moving but couldn’t bear to make eye contact with her like this.

Maren didn’t say anything else but an arm was placed gently over Elsa’s shaking shoulders. When Elsa didn’t pull away, her legs still felt like lead and her chest was tight, Maren pulled her closer so she was leant against her chest. 

She was unsure how much time passed sitting in silence, it felt years till the tears stopped and Elsa felt her breath even out again. The air was thin and cold around her but yet there were no signs of frost. 

“I’m okay” Elsa tried to reassure “I just forgot where I was when I first woke up…”

“Does this happen a lot?” Maren questioned but it didn’t sound judgemental.

“Not so much, not anymore anyway”

Elsa thought back to her first few weeks as Queen, it had been a tricky period of adjusting to allowing herself to leave her room, to visit Anna across the corridor even. It was easy to wake up by herself and become convinced none of that was real and she was alone once again.

“You can wake me if it happens again” Honeymaren offered carefully.

“Thank you” Was all Elsa could respond, she couldn’t promise that she definitely would - no matter how much she wanted to, but she would at least keep trying at asking for help.

Once Maren was sufficiently reassured that Elsa was feeling better she left to go and get changed, promising she would be back as soon as she could. Elsa could only cross her fingers for her that Ryder was still asleep and not waiting to interrogate his sister when she returned to her room.

They hadn’t ever actually talked about that kiss, Elsa realised suddenly. Maren hadn’t left as soon as they woke up though… Plus she did promise to be back soon so hopefully, that was a good sign, _ right? _Why were feelings so confusing anyway...

Elsa walked over to her dresser and splashed her face with water to distract herself, reaching for a cloth she sighed at her red-eyed reflection. Also, she noticed, she really needed to stop falling asleep without taking her eyeshadow off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote 150 words of my coral carbonate production report and 900 words for this today, a happy balance for a happy new year
> 
> I hope you enjoy!


	9. Chapter 9

Feeling a little less vulnerable now, Elsa was satisfied she looked more composed. True to her word Maren returned not long later dressed in her usual attire sans hat. She seemed slightly flustered as she arrived and brushed a rogue strand of hair out of her face sheepishly.

"I thought I'd got lucky avoiding bumping into Ryder” She explained, “instead I got questioned by not only Jaská but Inga, Marja and then finally Yelana just as I was about to leave…" Maren sighed exasperatedly but didn't seem truly annoyed about this.

Elsa covered a laugh with her hand, "I'm very glad you made back in one piece in that case"

Maren grinned "To be fair  Jaská mostly just wanted to tell me about the food she'd discovered at the reception, she only asked where I was last night at the very end."

"And the others?"

"Inga was asking where I learnt to dance like that and whether we still enjoyed the party even though we left early… Then Yelana didn’t say anything other than telling me to let you know that we're planning on leaving mid-afternoon”

Elsa shook her head, "Are we really that obvious?"

"Apparently so" Honeymaren chuckled then she hesitated, "you don't mind that do you? I can ask them to back off a bit, I know we haven't talked about yesterday or anything yet, not to jump to conclusions or anything-"

Elsa stopped her mid ramble as soon as her mind kick-started back into functioning. 

"Maren its okay, I don't mind" she felt safe with the Northuldra and she genuinely didn't mind them knowing her affection for Maren, it was easier than trying to hide it. "But maybe we should? Talk I mean"

Honeymaren nodded before taking both of her hands in hers. She kept her gaze down as she took a determined deep breath.

"I…I don't want you to think that I only kissed you because of the wine. I mean it was partly the wine I guess, I was intending on giving you more time to get settled before springing my feelings on you. But I do - have feelings for you that is. Which is why I kissed you and I hope that's not a complete surprise to you or you at least already suspected that because I wasn't exactly trying to be subtle about it but I didn't want to overbear you either"

It was a lot to take in, there was a heavy silence as Elsa tried to piece all of that together. Honeymaren’s hands were shaking slightly over hers, or maybe her own hands were trembling too.

"I really like you too" Her voice was barely a whisper at this point. 

“But?” Maren nervously waited 

“No buts, I’m glad we kissed. I have feelings for you also.” Elsa said more confidently and Maren finally met her eyes.

“Oh!” She nodded “Good! I mean, that’s great” 

Elsa was starting to consider that maybe this was as new to Honeymaren as it was to herself, she bit her lip to stop a large smile. 

“It is.”

At this Maren took the opportunity to pull her closer with their still interlocked hands until there was very little space between them and their noses brushed gently before their lips pressed together. Maren sighed happily as they drew apart and Elsa’s eyes fluttered open, she had barely registered them closing. Honeymaren held her arm out for Elsa to take and they set off down the corridor, both a little lighter on their feet with that weight lifted.

It was already past noon now and Elsa wanted to catch Anna and Kristoff before they left then they could regroup with the rest of the Northuldra and return home.

Elsa had decided not to tell Anna about any of the developments between herself and Honeymaren yet, she would save that for when Anna returned. Despite this she was grateful to get the chance to say goodbye to her sister when they found the newlyweds at the gates, Kai had just been on his way to find Elsa on behalf of the Queen for that exact reason. Now Anna and Kristoff would set off on their honeymoon for the following two weeks, and hopefully, get a well-deserved break from any responsibilities.

Whilst Anna might not be around to tease Elsa about Maren for a bit it seemed like Ryder had decided to fill the role of annoying younger sibling in the meantime. He even had the same knowing look as he approached her bag in hand as the other Northuldra started to group by the gate in preparation for the journey home. 

“Sooo…” He nodded his head towards Honeymaren who was thankfully not facing either of them and talking to Yelana a little further away.

“So?” Elsa replied innocently.

Ryder puffed his chest out. “I know you’re the fifth spirit and all but I have to tell you I will be obliged to fight you if you break my sister’s heart. I won’t win but I will fight you, sibling rules after all.” He declared seriously.

It wasn’t at all what Elsa was expecting Ryder to tell her but it was actually quite sweet, especially given that Ryder much preferred looking after and herding the reindeer than any kind of warrior training or fighting. It was also sweet to know how protective he was of his sister who Elsa knew would be equally protective of him.

“Well, I promise never to hurt her on purpose and I’m glad she has you looking out for her” Elsa hoped that was sincerely enough. She needn’t have worried, Ryder was immediately satisfied and his cheerful expression returned.

“Okay great because I really don’t want to have to fight you. 

And secondly, as your friend, you should also know that I will fight my sister for you if she ever hurts you.”

Elsa smiled, “Thank you, Ryder”

He grinned and didn’t say anything more about it, instead he changed the topic to Arendelle and the places he’d managed to explore earlier that morning. Elsa joined the conversation contently and when she glanced over at Honeymaren, who was still deep in discussion with Yelana a few meters away (and hopefully not aware of that conversation), she couldn’t help but smile to herself.


	10. Chapter 10

It was late evening when they returned, Elsa was still amazed at the Northuldra's navigation skills even in the dark and before that the mist she supposed. 

Camp was quiet but the central fire was lit and a small group clearly on night watch were up and waiting for their return, they unloaded the essentials and Ryder got the reindeer settled but the rest could wait till morning. Elsa watched Maren flit back and forth helping the others, before she was satisfied everything that needed to be was in order and walked over to Elsa.

She didn't speak, just inclined her head towards her tent with a questioning look. Elsa nodded, happy to follow her to her goathi. They sat close beside each other on Maren's furs, shoulders pressed together in comforting silence just breathing after a long day.

“Yelana was speaking to me earlier

Honeymaren announced softly, breaking the comfortable silence after what felt like hours possibly.

"Mm?" Elsa whispered back, mindful of how late it was and the other goathi close by.

Maren was looking at her feet - embarrassed almost?

"Yeah she uh.. She wants me to take more of a leadership role, starting with the migration in a few weeks. "

"Oh!" Elsa wasn't expecting it but now she considered it it made total sense. "That's amazing! - Wait, that _ is _ a good thing right?" She noticed Maren’s apprehensive expression.

"Well it is daunting but yeah, it is something I want to do" She finally smiled a little."It's hectic, the moving, but it keeps things exciting and allows the forest here a chance to recover from our using it so we’re never damaging the ecosystem. There’s a lot to keep track of and prepare for though, Yelana somehow seems to have an eye on everything at once…" Maren explained.

Elsa understood the pressure, more than anything but Honeymaren wasn't like her. She wasn't afraid of reaching out for support or relying on her community - she was more like Anna in that way. Naturally a leader and not opposed to being the centre of attention, only worried about doing a good job in order to help people. 

"She doesn’t do it alone though, I’ve seen she has trust in all of the tribe to do their parts, she just makes sure it's all going smoothly. I know you have the skills to do that too" Elsa reassured.

The Northuldra were fond of Honeymaren, she fell into conversation easily with anyone they came across and Elsa could see why Yelana would choose her to start to pass responsibility onto. 

Honeymaren nodded confidently "I know, you're right" she bumped their shoulders "I have you to help me too after all"

"I'm not sure how much practical help I'll be…" Elsa was definitely still adapting to this way of life - a lot was taught from childhood that Elsa was still catching up on.

Maren laughed "Eh, your moral support is most important anyway" she shrugged. "What did Ryder want earlier?" She seemed to suddenly remember.

Now Elsa couldn't help but laugh "Oh nothing much, just defending your honour"

“What?”

“I’ll have him to face if I ever break your heart” Elsa explained to a bemused Honeymaren.

“Oh dear, were you planning on it?” Maren joked

Elsa met her gaze, “Never” even she was surprised at the sincerity in her voice. Maren squeezed her hand in response with unspoken gratitude and Elsa leant her head gently against Maren's shoulder after that. Elsa felt her eyes flutter closed and she exhaled softly, relaxed.

When she blinked her eyes open again what felt like only a few minutes later it was clearly much longer than that. Voices from outside meant that most of the camp was already awake and Honeymaren was no longer next to her.

Cautiously leaving the goahti, Elsa scanned the camp. Despite the celebrations yesterday the Northuldra were back at work already, as Honeymaren had mentioned there was a lot that went into moving a whole camp and preparation was well underway. 

Honeymaren was at the centre of it all, looking almost regal in her own way as she organised and helped those who approached her and Yelana for advice. She seemed relaxed despite the previous evening’s nerves, hopefully, this morning would be the evidence she needed to fully believe she could fill this role. 

Elsa headed over to help out, she had promised she would after all and she intended to keep that promise. 

Honeymaren’s face lit up when they made eye contact as Elsa crossed the clearing, Inga - who had been in conversation with Maren as Elsa was approaching gave them both a knowing look before excusing herself and slipping away with Yelana in tow. 

“You should have woken me, I didn’t mean to leave you to work by yourself” Elsa was usually an early riser but perhaps the relief at being back home in the forest and the long journey had led to her sleeping for longer than she intended.

“You looked peaceful,” Honeymaren explained, “I didn’t want to wake you yet, anyway this way I thought I could impress you with my leadership skills once you came to see me” she joked.

Elsa _had _been impressed by her willingness to embrace her new role and said as much to Maren softly.

“Thank you” she held her hand again. Maren’s expression made Elsa just daring enough to kiss her quickly, just a peck really but given they were right in the middle of camp it was the bravest Elsa had felt in a long time. 

Honeymaren positively beamed at her in response and Elsa had to cover her own mouth to hide a grin, a habit she hadn’t quite broken from her days as a Queen. Maybe that was something that would change in future too though. She was certain Anna would be proud of her when she returned to Arendelle. They would definitely be in need of another sisterly catch-up, after all, Elsa had a _ lot _to catch her up on now and, hopefully, there would be so much more to come.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today in finishing old fics! A final chapter that I felt was needed to wrap things up, I really enjoyed writing for Frozen and this was satisfying to finish off.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written for any fandom since like April but I saw Frozen 2 last weekend and I could not rest until I had written something for it!
> 
> Title is absolutely taken from the lyrics to Bad Suns - Love by Mistake 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed :)


End file.
